A tanker sailing on an international sea route was struck by a missile about 11 nautical miles northeast of the Limah area of Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Saturday. The strike severely damaged the vessel’s engine room, disabling its engine and leaving the tanker completely out of control at sea.
UKMTO said the relevant regional coast guard was notified immediately after the incident. The responsible authorities have already begun an investigation into the attack. The released information did not identify who carried out the strike or provide further details about damage to the tanker.
No casualties have been reported so far, and there have been no reports of fuel spilling into the sea or of related environmental damage. UKMTO advised all other commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway to proceed with extreme caution. It also asked ships to immediately report any suspicious activity to the authorities.